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Fired Silver Paint: Silver Oxide and Flux in Polyvinyl Alcohol and Water (Gray, Erie Resistor 1954, Ex. 2)
A paint for putting silver electrodes on ceramic, glass or mica. Silver oxide and a little ceramic flux are held in polyvinyl alcohol dissolved in water. The wet paint conducts electricity, so a capacitor can be measured while it is being painted. On firing, the silver oxide turns into a silver film held on by the flux. Gray found this paint so stable that it kept six months.
Source: Robert B. Gray, US 2,695,275 (Erie Resistor, 1954), Example 2. Not given: which flux, and the firing heat. Bismuth subnitrate, one of the fluxes Gray names, is ours. Picture drawn by Youblob.
Beginner
1 day
Instructions
1
1
Dissolve 2 g polyvinyl alcohol in the water
Dissolve 2 g polyvinyl alcohol in the water
For 100 g of paint: dissolve 2 g polyvinyl alcohol in the water, warming it to help it dissolve. The water is the balance, about 34 to 44 g. Warming is ours.
Materials for this step:
Polyvinyl Alcohol Powder2 g
Distilled Water1 as requiredTools needed:
Balance Scale
Borosilicate Beaker
Hot Plate
Borosilicate Glass Rod2
2
Grind in silver oxide and flux
Grind in silver oxide and flux
Grind 50 g precipitated silver oxide and 2 to 10 g ceramic flux into the solution until smooth. Gray gives the flux only as a class; ours: bismuth subnitrate, one of the common fluxes he names. The right amount depends on the ceramic it will be fired onto.
Materials for this step:
Silver Oxide50 g
Bismuth Subnitrate1 as requiredTools needed:
Balance Scale
Mortar and Pestle
Nitrile Gloves3
3
Add 2 to 4 g alcohol against foam
Add 2 to 4 g alcohol against foam
Stir in 2 to 4 g ethyl alcohol. It stops the polyvinyl alcohol from foaming.
Materials for this step:
Ethanol - Lab Grade, 95%1 as requiredTools needed:
Borosilicate Glass Rod4
4
Store
Store
Keep it in a closed jar. Gray found no reaction between the ingredients in six months, and the paint can stand for some hours in use without stirring.
Tools needed:
Dark Glass Jars with Airtight LidsMaterials
5- Placeholder
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- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
Tools Required
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